Pov Josiane...
I wasn't outside the truth.
I was standing in the middle of it.
For a few seconds—
No one spoke.
I stood there, waiting.
Waiting for answers.
Waiting for someone
—anyone
—to finally explain.
Kaela stepped forward first.
"We can tell you everything," she said calmly.
My heart lifted slightly.
Finally.
But before she could say anything—
Linux spoke.
"Not now."
The room stilled.
Kaela frowned slightly. "Linux—"
"We don't have time for this right now," he interrupted, his tone controlled.
"We'll discuss it later."
Josie blinked.
Later?
Again?
My chest tightened.
Something inside me dropped.
Linux turned away slightly, already shifting the topic.
"We focus on the current issue. Nothing else matters right now."
And just like that—
The moment was gone.
Josie stood there for a second longer.
Then quietly—
She stepped back.
No one stopped her.
She left the room.
The corridor felt colder.
Empty.
Too quiet.
He stopped them.
The thought repeated in her mind.
He didn't want me to know.
She laughed softly.
Bitter.
"I trusted him…"
Classes started.
But I didn't go.
She walked aimlessly through the campus.
Corridors.
Stairs.
Empty corners.
Anywhere but class.
Her mind wouldn't stop.
Linux.
Cain.
Kaela.
Secrets.
Lies.
"You should be in your class."
She froze.
Turned.
Linux stood a few steps behind her.
His expression unreadable.
"Why are you roaming around?"he asked.
His tone wasn't harsh.
But it wasn't soft either.
Josie crossed her arms.
"You tell me."
A small pause.
"You're skipping class," he said.
"That's not like you."
She let out a short laugh.
"And hiding things from people isn't like you either. But here we are."
That hit.
He didn't reply immediately.
For a moment—
We just stood there.
The space between them suddenly heavy.
"I said we'll talk later,"he said finally.
"And I said I'm tired of 'later,'" she replied.
Silence.
Her voice dropped.
"You could've just told me."
Linux looked at me .
Something flickered in his eyes.
Guilt.
Maybe.
But he didn't say anything.
Josie looked away first.
"…Forget it."
And then—
She walked past him.
He didn't stop her.
The rest of the day passed like a blur.
Classes ended early.
Half day.
Students left in groups.
Laughing.
Talking.
Living normally.
I wasn't.
She walked slowly toward the exit.
But then—
She stopped.
My eyes landed on a familiar door.
Head Prefect Office
For a moment, she hesitated.
Then thought—
Maybe he's there.
Maybe he'll explain.
She walked toward it.
Pushed the door open.
Empty.
Her shoulders dropped slightly.
"…Of course."
She turned to leave.
But something caught her eye.
On a side shelf—
Under a few stacked books—
Was something old.
Very old.
A bundle.
Or maybe a file.
Covered in dust.
I stepped closer.
Curiosity pulling me in again.
"This is the last time,"she whispered.
She pulled it out.
Dust scattered lightly.
The cover was worn.
Edges faded.
She opened it.
And froze.
Names.
Pages filled with names.
Her heart started racing.
She flipped faster.
Scanning.
Searching—
Then—
Her name.
JOSIE — TARGET
My breath stopped.
"No…"
Her hands trembled.
She looked again.
More names.
CAIN — OBSERVER
Her chest tightened instantly.
More.
LINUX — HEAD PREFECT
My mind spun.
There were more names.
Students.
Unknown.
Connected.
All of them.
Then one thought hit me .
Sharp.
Confusing.
Why is Kaela involved in all this…?
My breathing became uneven.
My vision blurred.
"I'm a… target…?"
The word echoed.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Tears filled her eyes.
Spilled over.
"I trusted them…"
"Josie."
She flinched.
Turned.
Linux stood at the door.
For a moment—
Everything stopped.
He looked at the file in her hands.
Then at her face.
Tear-streaked.
Shaken.
"…You found it," he said quietly.
"What is this?" her voice broke.
He stepped closer.
Slow.
Careful.
"Ididn't know about that file," he said.
"I found out today… about all this."
She stared at him.
"You're lying…"
"I'm not," he said softly
"I've been trying to figure this out for days."
Her lips trembled.
"…And you didn't tell me?"
"I didn't have answers," he replied.
"And I didn't want to drag you into something dangerous without knowing everything."
Her tears fell faster.
"I'm already in it."
That hit him.
Linux stepped closer.
Gently took the file from her hands.
Set it aside.
Then—
Carefully—
He held her shoulders.
"Hey… look at me."
She hesitated.
Then slowly looked up.
"I won't let anything happen to you," he said.
Her voice broke again..
"It literally says I'm a target…"
"I don't care," he said.
"It's not happening."
Silence.
"…What do we do?" she whispered.
Linux exhaled slowly.
Thinking.
Calculating.
Then—
"We act normal."
Josie blinked.
"What?"
"We pretend we don't know anything."
"That's risky."
"That's the safest way," he said.
"If they think you're unaware, they won't move quickly."
My mind raced.
"…And Cain?"
"I'll handle him."
"You trust him?"
A pause.
"…I have to figure out the things ...."
Not a yes.
Not a no.
I wiped my tears.
"I'm scared," she admitted.
Her voice small.
Barely there.
That was it.
Linux stepped closer.
This time—
He didn't hesitate.
His hand gently reached for her waist
Then he pulled her closer.
One arm wrapping securely around her waist,
Drawing her into him.
For a second—
Josie froze.
The sudden closeness catching her off guard.
Then—
She broke.
Her hands clutched onto his shirt tightly,
Her face burying into his shoulder as her tears finally spilled freely.
"I don't understand anything…"she cried softly.
"Everyone knew… everyone was hiding things… I feel so stupid…"
Linux held her firmly but gently,
His arm still around her waist,
Keeping her close—steady.
Like he wouldn't let her fall apart.
"You're not stupid," he said quietly.
"You're the only one who's been real in all of this.
She shook her head slightly against him.
"But I trusted the wrong people…"
His hold tightened just a little—
Not forceful.
Just reassuring.
"No," he murmured softly.
"You trusted people. That's not wrong."
Her grip didn't loosen.
If anything—
She held onto him even more.
For a moment—
Nothing else existed.
No E.V.E.
No targets.
No observers.
Just—
Her.
Breaking.
And him—
Holding her together.
"I won't let anything happen to you,"he said again.
Lower this time.
Closer.
She didn't answer.
But she didn't move away either.
Slowly—
Her breathing steadied.
Her tears softened.
And for the first time—
Since everything began—
She felt safe.
Linux's hand, still resting lightly at her waist,
Kept her close,
Grounded.
"We'll handle this," he murmured.
"Together."
This time—
I nodded.
Just slightly.
Still holding onto him.
Because right now—
That was the only thing keeping my steady.
Outside—
The world was normal.
Inside—
Everything had changed.
Because now—
I knew the truth.
I was the target.
Cain was watching me.
And Linux—
Was no longer just someone I trusted.
He was the one holding me together.
To be continued…